Ricky Starks Vs. Wheeler Yuta Officially Announced For AEW WrestleDream

Days before the launch of AEW's newest pay-per-view event, WrestleDream, another match has been added to the card. During a backstage segment that took place after last Saturday's "AEW Collision" but aired on Wednesday's "AEW Dynamite," Blackpool Combat Club member Wheeler Yuta challenge "Absolute" Ricky Starks to a match on the Sunday show in Seattle, and it was made official via graphic later in the broadcast. Fightful Select reported that the match was in the works earlier in the day on Wednesday. It is the first encounter between the two wrestlers beyond both being participants in a lone battle royal in 2022.

Starks vs. Yuta is the 10th match announced for WrestleDream, the PPV honoring the legendary Antonio Inoki that is set to involve NJPW talent such as Zack Sabre Jr. and Kota Ibushi. The match came about as a result of Starks' ongoing feud with Yuta's BCC stablemate, Bryan Danielson, which itself was reportedly the result of Danielson taking CM Punk's place as Starks' AEW All Out opponent after Punk was unceremoniously fired following an altercation with Jack Perry at All In the previous weekend.